In difficult conditions Tomas Berdych put up a good fight but eventually it wasn’t enough today in the semifinals at the US Open. Andy Murray took the Czech out in blustery conditions 57, 62, 61, 76 to reach his fifth career Grand Slam final.

“Of course I don’t like to lose the match, and not the match like this in the semis which I thought that I had a pretty good chance,” said Berdych who held a set point in the fourth set breaker. “But, you know, I would say that the best word I can say is that the wind blow it away from me.”

While Berdych blamed much of his problems with his game on the wind he did praise the Scot for adjusting better than him to the difficult conditions.

“It affects a lot because I have a higher toss,” Berdych said. ‘Then when I’m not able to serve and go for the first serve and not making some points, straight points from the serve, then that’s not my game. So actually, it was quite hard to adjust to that, because I’m normally not used to that. It was really, really tough one.

“He dealed with that much better than I did.”

He even suggested that playing in such windy conditions should be ruled unplayable in the future.

“I think that our sport deserved to have some rule or if the conditions are like that that, you don’t play because of the rain,” Berdych said. “We play in Grand Slam in such a big tournament like this one, and especially missing the roof, it’s something which should be at least to think about. ”

The match was moved ahead an hour because of an approaching storm system that suspended the second semifinal between Novak Djokovic and David Ferrer just after 5pm with the Spaniard serving for the first set at 5-2. Berdych, however, wasn’t pleased with how the tournament handled the schedule.

“I saw the rain in the morning, then, I was like, Why should we come here even for 11:00 when they are expecting the rain, and then we have to wait here until later on?” he said. “Then, coming actually really early, because then if you have to be ready for 11:00 match, then you have to come here like around 8:00, 8:15, which is quite early. But, yeah, that’s how it is.”

After his first US Open semifinal, Berdych will prepare for a Davis Cup semifinal next weekend on clay in Argentina.

Both matches should have been postponed because the USTA had enough warning that the rain and very bad weather conditions were headed for New York and would hit around 3:30pm.

It was absolutely unfair to Ferrer to not allow him to serve out the first set. The excuse used was ridiculous. They needed to evacuate the stadium ASAP. I doubt an extra five minutes would have hampered the evacuation of the stadium. It’s also unbelievable that despite the USTA having been apprised of the bad weather conditions striking around 3:30 pm, they did not consider starting both SFs matches on Ashe and Armstrong simultaneously. I’m appalled that such a thought did not cross the tournament director’s mind.

Pretty scappy match, but Murray showed real smartness. Looks like he is ready to take the slam, irrespective of Novak’s supreme form. Though Novak is not certain yet for the final, I expect him to get through Ferrer. I really doubt Ferrer can serve out matchpoint against Novak when Roger could not do it for 2 consec years. But if he does win the match, it would be really fantastic.

The sequence of events was unfortunate, with Djokovic complaining about the conditions just before play was suspended. Many in the crowd must have thought the officials were acting just to please him.
According to the BBC news, the police enforced the evacuation of the stadium, so I suppose the tennis officials couldn’t argue.
Berdych has a point, I think. Play is stopped for rain, and in Australia for excessive heat, so it seems logical to treat windy conditions similarly.
Just as the size of that stadium doesn’t allow a roof, surely the depth of the bowl causes the wind to swirl? Another example of the American belief that every damn thing they build has to be the biggest in the world (an approach now adopted by oil-rich Arabs).

“Berdych has a point, I think. Play is stopped for rain, and in Australia for excessive heat, so it seems logical to treat windy conditions similarly.”

True, it is similar to the rainy and the excessively hot conditions — in the sense that it forced both players to play “abnormal” tennis; and I felt bad for Berdych that the match at times became one of survival than of shot-making. It would have been nicer to seem them both go at each other at full tilt (they were in good form too!)…

But the difference (with rainy & excessively hot) is that the conditions were not dangerous — as in causing injury. So it is also a question of who adjusts better, who has a larger toolkit, and who has a more compact game (ie smaller FH/BH swings and ball tosses). So i dont know if I completely agree with Berdych.

But it is clear that US open needs to handle issues better (starting from Super Saturday to roof to other issues) and also communicate better.

Respectively disagree. Both conditions you mentioned are because of safety issues for the players (stoppage for rain and heat). There really is no safety issue with wind. Obviously the quality of play may drop, but the better player who has the ability to play in the wind will prevail. Murray did. Birdsh!t is just whining has usual.

what a better way to spin things and hide hatred for a prticular player than by sayin that you’re rootin for the opposite player who’s underdog, lol! smart peopl like these have always graced the tennis-x, lol! ;)

and not to mention, their dig-making allies! reminds me of good ole’ days. :D

Berdych once again shows he cannot deal with the pressures of a crunch grand slam matchup. After defeating roger in an outstanding quarter final performance he came up very short against Murray. Frustrating that he says the wind “blew me away”. Murray had to deal with the same conditions and berdych simply folded and gave Murray set 2 and 3.

It does show Murray’s increased mental strength along with his willingness to battle, which is why he will win the US Open Monday evening.

Instead of finding lame excuses, Berdych must accept the fact that he was outplayed by Murray on the given day. Murray adapted to the challenging conditions very well and deserved to win, Berdych could not and ended up losing. That is the difference between a good player and a great player. I do not like any player complaining about the conditions on court when they remain the same for both the players.

@Huh, you need to stop with your snide remarks. I’ve not said anything to you personally for you to be offended and to vent at me in such a disrespectful manner. If I don’t appreciate Murray in the same way as you, that’s my democratic right, and just because you don’t like it, you don’t have the right to be taking swipes at me and my comments.

You need to look at yourself and your behavior first, before spouting off and condemning others. And, that includes not issuing instructions and/or dictating what I should or should not be doing.

You are not the example of perfection, neither do you own this site. So quit with the nastiness towards me.

Do you see me reprimanding you on your behaviour and hatred towards Nadal and his fans? And now that Berdych has beaten Fed, you hate him too.

I would appreciate it if you would scroll past my posts whioch will eliminate the anger that’s bulding up inside of you.

FYI, I’ve always liked Ferrer, and my wanting him to win has nothing to do wuith hatred for any of the players left in the tournament. What’s your reason for disliking him? Is it because he’s Spanish?

And BTW have always hated berdych! you’re new here, so you don’t know!

and wow, you’re a real spinner with re my likin or dislikin for ferrer!! quit ur spinnin! and not just that, you even are puttin words in my mouth for the second time about me dislikin ferrer(1st time was when I actually was referrin to your dear aide el dumbo as 2-3 month old dumbo, but instead of thinkin anythin, you jumped to premature conclusion that i referred to you there)! ferrer is a nice guy and i always appreciate nice guys. i hav very seldom even rooted for ferrer(particularly when he plays guys like jank/berd/nadal)! but i don’t have to announce it everytime here what i do nor i’m interested in droppin in for offerin fake congrats to a guy i don’t like.

but you know what? karma is a B…. and it’ll get you and your likes sooner and later!

and how about accusin me of likin ferrer coz he’s spanish? keep your racist mentality to yourself! so ridiculous! you sure are pure as spilled milk!

and yeah, i’m not a hypocrite who’d say sweet words about any player if i like him not! that’s for you and your likes for make display of your hypocrisy.
and about bein bad to nadal n his fans, oh please, anybody can see it that it is you and your party who’s taken up this useless job, lol!

last but not the least, i’d only say:
enjoy your ride while it lasts, but I’m here to stay.

listen man alok, i’d nothin against u. you put yourself in this soup by surprisingly respondin to me even when i’ve not addressed you! you started to assum i called you names, but that wasn’t the case. do i have even have freedom to retort or not if someone calls me wolf in sheep’s clothin, tht too just coz i said in favour of nadal what should be said, while that other one was busy insultin nadal, his fans n whom not!

regardless of what’s your ans, i hav the freedom to retort. don’t come in between the brawl of 2 strangers n take sides or assum to yourself that you were insulted!

for all future purposes either respond politely or don’t respond. i really’ve no grudge against you whatsoever, nor would i mind unless you really called me out unnecessarily without my fault. HOPE THAT’S VERY VERY CLEAR. MOVE ON…